It is Only Sensible
by dancing in daydreams
Summary: Hermione tries to get over her feelings for somebody because she knows he doesn’t love her. After all, she is sensible, isn’t she?
1. Chapter 1

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Summary:** Hermione tries to get over her feelings for somebody because she knows he doesn't love her. After all, she is sensible, isn't she?

**Disclaimer:** No, the characters aren't mine; I only had the idea for the plot and wrote this story, so there isn't any reason to sue me!

**Author's Note: **This story was started a long time before the HBP was published; I only finished the last one and a half chapters after reading it. Any twisted resemblance (I think it has some) to some happenings in the HBP are pure chance, or just show the way love sometimes is.

I know this first chapter is a bit angsty but I promise there will be less angst in the other chapters.

** It is Only Sensible**

** Chapter 1- No Other Way**

Hermione sat down at her desk and took out her History of Magic book, trying to use the evening and glad that she had some peace and quiet while Lavender and Parvati were in the common room, probably giggling with some other friends.

In spite of the silence, Hermione couldn't concentrate. She was annoyed with herself that she, the rational, sensible Hermione, was letting something silly like love distract her from her homework. She was even more annoyed that this had been happening quite often recently, in fact, a certain someone had become more important to her than anything else.

Frowning, she took out another piece of parchment. Not only was she in love, she was also in love with someone she was certain that would never love her back. Well, she had believed long enough that there was a chance and had been silly enough to imagine he had shown signs of liking her back. She knew now that it had only been an illusion.

Hermione knew she needed to give up hoping, though it had been pleasant enough but now that she knew that she had to give up her feelings for him, she was thinking of how she had imagined it to be together with him. She had thought they would fit together perfectly, how should she ever find someone who knew her so well that they could almost read each others minds? Except of course, that he had never realised that she liked him as more than a friend.

It was so obvious though. She should have noticed that he never looked back when they went apart, that he never gave her any more smiles than he gave Harry. Hermione had tried giving him subtle hints that she liked him in a different way than Harry but he hadn't seen it and it was probably better that way, it would make their friendship much more complicated. He would feel unsure around her and they wouldn't be so comfortable around each other any more, even if he might pretend to like her back, it would only be because he pitied her.

She had thought of telling him about her feelings recently but that wouldn't make anything better. She would have to go through this alone, nobody would be able to help her and she didn't want others to laugh because the sensible Hermione had fallen hopelessly in love.

She knew it wasn't going to be easy, after all, she saw him every day and she didn't want their friendship to suffer just because she had lost all sense of reality for a while. She wished she hadn't spent so much time thinking about him; it seemed to have become some kind of weird habit she couldn't give up. This sounded absolutely insane to her: She, Hermione Granger, was addicted to one of her best friends, Ron Weasley.

Hermione sighed. Why did everything have to be so complicated? It had been quite easy to like Victor Krum, that had been sensible and logical like everything else in her life. He had liked her, she had seen that he cared for more than Quidditch and understanding that he was quite similar to her in many ways, had begun to like him as well and agreed to go to the ball with him.

She had enjoyed the ball and the letters they had written each other had always been important for her but everything was different with Ron.

He was quite different from her in many ways and he had never been as serious as Victor. He often did things before thinking about them and could be really silly sometimes but though these were exactly the things that annoyed Hermione about other people, she loved them about Ron.

Realising she was about to start dreaming about all the things she loved about Ron, Hermione strictly told herself to stop thinking about him. It wouldn't do any good; it would just make her depressed and weaken her resolve to get over him somehow.

She knew she had to get him off her mind somehow and though she didn't know exactly how to do it, it was clear to her that it would be easiest to do if she thought of someone else instead.

Soon, she thought of Ernie Macmillan. Of course! That was the solution to her problem! She should have noticed much earlier!

She had noticed him at the beginning of the sixth year, though of course, she had known him earlier; they had always had Herbology together, she just hadn't cared much about him. Then, at the beginning of this year, she had noticed him smiling at her during the lessons and had smiled back. They had exchanged a few words and she had realised that he wasn't as stuck up as she had thought, not that she had ever wasted much thought on him.

Anyway, when they met in the corridors, they greeted each other, though Harry and Ron didn't even seem to notice. She had felt a bit attracted to him though not nearly as strong as to Ron. Now, thinking about how she had to change her feelings towards Ron, Hermione remembered the way Ernie had smiled at her during Ancient Runes today.

She still didn't like his friends very much; they spent too much time laughing about stupid jokes and seemed to be quite arrogant, thinking they were better than the other students and obviously not caring about the reputation Hufflepuffs had to be a bit stupid.

She decided to try to get to know Ernie a bit better anyway, who could know, they might start liking each other even more after they knew each other better. There was no other way and suddenly, it didn't seem quite as impossible for her to forget her feelings towards Ron.

Comforted, Hermione put away her homework that wasn't due for a few more days and got into bed. Everything would turn out to be fine.

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No, don't bother to review; I've always hated those things anyway. Who wants to know what readers think about their stories?

**Of course I'd like it if you tell me what you think! **But I won't make the posting of the next chapter dependent on that, I'm planning on posting it quite soon (in two or three days). If you find any spelling or grammar mistakes, please tell me that as well, I'm not a native speaker and I think my English used to be better.


	2. It Can't be this Easy, Can it?

**Disclaimer:** You saw it in the first chapter; I don't want to bore you with any more.

_She decided to try to get to know Ernie a bit better anyway, who could know, they might start liking each other even more after they knew each other better. There was no other way and suddenly, it didn't seem quite as impossible for her to forget her feelings towards Ron._

_Comforted, Hermione put away her homework that wasn't due for a few more days and got into bed. Everything would turn out to be fine._

**It is Only Sensible**

**Chapter 2- It Can't be this Easy, Can it?**

Hermione went down to breakfast feeling strangely enthusiastic. She didn't care much about Ron; he would only be a friend, though he would still be important in her life. There wasn't supposed to be more and there wasn't going to be any more. She would talk to him as always, though she wouldn't be happily imagining that he liked her in a more than friendly way as she had often done when they talked. That was over and she didn't want those times back, she would be sensible as she had always been before she fell in love with Ron.

Well, it wouldn't be quite that easy. Of course not, she still had her old habits of looking at him and after all, they had been a bit closer lately but she would just act as always, only that she cared about him in another way than before.

She knew she would probably be tempted to avoid him at some point because she knew that would make everything easier for a short while but she wouldn't give in to the desire never to see him again. She knew that she would start missing him so much that she would rush back to him as soon as possible, she had learned that she was miserable without him from earlier fights. Besides, if she didn't come back, she would not only destroy her friendship with Ron but also lose her friendship with Harry. Neither of them would know what was going on and they didn't deserve that.

No, she was going to keep everything as it was on the outside. It was silly to start despising someone you had loved just because he didn't return your feelings. She, Hermione, would manage without that method only stupid teenage girls in Hufflepuff used. No, that expression wasn't fair, she was a teenager herself and she had too many prejudices against Hufflepuffs, Hermione reprimanded herself. Besides, she had a very good reason not to say anything against that particular house.

Hermione was slightly giddy about seeing Ernie but she had decided to talk to him if she had the chance to. It would only be small-talk as usual, about lessons and the weather but if they talked a bit more often, they would probably be able to talk about less shallow subjects soon, Hermione hoped.

She wouldn't act much different around Ernie either, though even the thought of liking him made Hermione feel a bit nervous towards him. She wouldn't show it, showing it would be another thing certain people she was annoyed of did and she was finally sensible again.

Hermione sat down at the Gryffindor table with her friends, cheerful as she had usually been lately. She laughed at the jokes they made and rolled her eyes when Ron told them about the latest invention the Weasley twins were selling at their joke shop.

"Honestly, how can anybody buy something like that? I don't know what's so great about House-Elf-Hamburgers? It is a really disgusting idea, the eyes and a snout of a house-elf popping out of the hamburger and begging you to eat them before they are given clothes! The whole thing shows how little people care about the rights of house-elves! Your brothers should help promote SPEW instead!"

Hermione knew perfectly well that her remarks about house-elf rights were no use at all and only annoyed Ron and Harry and made them laugh at her funny ideas but right now, she felt she needed some of their normal bickering.

"Hermione, it's only a joke," Ron groaned. "Why are you always so serious about everything?"

"It is no laughing matter for the house-elves. They should have the same rights as humans!"

"Yeah, maybe they do but I still can't see why you can't laugh about a simple joke. They are happy with their life the way it is. Look at Winky. She is miserable now that she receives payment."

"She just needs time to realise that freedom isn't so bad. Dobby is happier than he has ever been when he worked like a slave."

Harry rolled his eyes.

"Will you two ever stop it? Why don't you just realise that you never will agree on this topic and stop trying to persuade each other? If you don't hurry, we'll be late to Transfiguration and McGonagall will fry us."

Ron and Hermione laughed and finished eating, though Hermione knew they would resume their argument another time; Harry's suffering wouldn't end that quickly. They hurried out of the Great Hall to go to their classroom, Hermione casting a quick glance at Ernie.

Later that day, they walked out towards the greenhouses for Herbology. Harry and Ron were discussing the Transfiguration homework and neither of them noticed that Hermione was far away with her thoughts.

Professor Sprout made them work in pairs to tend the exploding pumpkins and as usual, the three had to split up.

"It's OK, you two work together," Hermione said nonchalantly, looking around who didn't have a partner yet. She saw her hopes confirmed when she saw Ernie standing alone. Quickly, Hermione went over to him and asked him whether they could work together.

Ernie looked a bit surprised but smiled at her.

"Yeah sure, that's a good idea."

Most of the time they concentrated on their work but they also had the chance to talk a bit and Hermione found she could chat quite easily with him.

They quickly fertilised the pumpkin plants with dragon dung, careful not to touch the pumpkins in order not to be covered in slimy seeds when the pumpkins exploded and afterwards, they walked together to the great hall for lunch, laughing as they walked.

Hermione found it surprisingly easy to forget the astonished looks on Harry's and Ron's faces when she didn't wait for them.

Hermione and Ernie parted at the Hufflepuff table and Hermione went over to her usual place where she waited for Harry and Ron to arrive. After a few moments, they sat down next to her.

"What was that about?" Ron asked, irritated.

"What?" Hermione asked, pretending nothing unusual had happened.

"You just let us stand there and went on with that Ernie Macmillan and now you're asking what we are wondering about?"

"I felt like talking to him a bit; he really is OK. I don't know what you are so upset about; I don't belong to you or anything."

Ron went red in the face, opened and closed his mouth and then mumbled an apology down at the food that had appeared in front of him.

"I'm sorry; I know I don't own you. I'm too curious; after all it is up to you who you talk to. I was just surprised."

Hermione felt guilty, she knew she shouldn't have said that to Ron but after all, it _was_ her life and if he chose not to return her feelings, he should at least let her live the way she wanted to. He was protecting her like his little sister and Hermione hated this even more than Ginny did.

Their quarrel was quickly forgotten and the rest of the day was almost as always, except for the fact that Hermione didn't think as much about Ron as she usually did. Instead, she was mostly far of in her thoughts and looked whether she could see Ernie.

That evening in bed, she went through the day in her thoughts. It had been easier to push aside her feelings for Ron than she had thought. And Ernie definitely was nice, Hermione thought as the memory of his laugh brought a smile to her face. Maybe she would be able to get over Ron quickly and Ernie seemed to like her back…

Tomorrow was a Hogsmeade trip; maybe she could find a way to talk a bit more with him there.

t.b.c.


	3. A Hogsmeade Trip and A Girls’ Party

_That evening in bed, she went through the day in her thoughts. It had been easier to push aside her feelings for Ron than she had thought. And Ernie definitely was nice, Hermione thought as the memory of his laugh brought a smile to her face. Maybe she would be able to get over Ron quickly and Ernie seemed to like her back…_

_Tomorrow was a Hogsmeade trip; maybe she could find a way to talk a bit more with him there._

**It is Only Sensible**

**Chapter 3- A Hogsmeade Trip and A Girls****' Party**

When Hermione woke up the next morning, she felt miserable. She didn't feel like going to Hogsmeade, she didn't feel like she ever wanted to see Ernie again and she certainly didn't feel like she could face Ron. In fact, the only thing she wanted was everything to be like she had imagined it before she had realised Ron didn't love her but she knew that it couldn't be like that and if it couldn't, she only wanted to stay in bed and forget that the world even existed.

Filled with self-pity and disappointed of life and love Hermione lay in bed and thought about how terrible everything had turned out for her. Why did she have to fall in love with one of her best friends? Why was it so hard to let go? Why couldn't she just be like every normal girl, have other girls as her friends with which she could giggle and have fun and talk about the boys she liked? Why was she the boring bookworm nobody was interested in? Why, why, why did she have to be Hermione Granger?

After lying in bed like this for a few minutes, Hermione realised that these thoughts would get her nowhere. So what if she was boring Hermione Granger? If there was one good thing about her, it was that she didn't give up. It was totally useless to lie in bed, wallowing in self-pity. She would have to get up, go to Hogsmeade even if she didn't feel like it at all and carry on with her plans. Who cares if she didn't really love Ernie? She would just pretend to and eventually, she would.

Hermione got up and got ready for the Hogsmeade trip, no longer despairing but filled with grim determination. Smiling a smile she knew wasn't quite real, Hermione went downstairs to meet her friends at breakfast.

In Hogsmeade, Hermione, Ron and Harry went through the town laughing and joking, Hermione once again pretending that she was the same as always. After going to Honeydukes together, they split up, Ron and Harry going to a Quidditch supplies shop while Hermione decided to look into a new book shop that had just been opened.

She was surprised to see Ernie Macmillan there looking at Defence against the Dark Arts books behind some brand new shelves. After looking around a bit, Hermione decided to go over to him and say hello.

Once again, Ernie seemed to be pleasantly surprised to see her and they were quickly engaged into a lively discussion about their favourite books, noticing their interests weren't very far apart. The time passed much faster than they thought it would and Hermione was surprised when she looked at her watch and saw that she was almost too late to meet Ron and Harry at the Three Broomsticks as they had said they would. Hermione and Ernie quickly said goodbye and went back to their own friends.

Hermione was relieved to make it to the Three Broomsticks on time so that she didn't have to answer any questions. Ron and Harry arrived almost at the same time as she did, asked her two or three short questions about the new shop and then went on discussing snitches, quaffles, bludgers and broomsticks.

Hermione felt her attention quickly fading away and her thoughts turned back to her conversation with Ernie. She was glad that they had so much in common and felt happy at the thought that Ernie seemed to care about her. At least he didn't ignore her like Ron did. She only wished she could talk to somebody about the way she felt.

That evening, Hermione was walking through the corridors of the Gryffindor house to make sure everything was quiet. She had started doing this when she became a prefect, proud of her new responsibility and it had quickly become a habit. She enjoyed walking through the dark corridors late in the evening, hearing soft whispers from the different dormitories but able to be alone with all the things on her mind.

Hermione had almost finished her usual round when she was almost knocked over by somebody rushing through the black corridor.

"Oh sorry, I didn't mean to knock you over! You'd better not make too much noise or Hermione will hear you and make a fuss, I wish she would relax a little more…" The other person whispered and then stopped as Hermione quietly whispered "Lumos!" and the wand lit the corridor.

"You shouldn't run into other people in the dark and then tell them things about other people if you don't even know who you are talking to, Parvati. I prefer it when people tell me directly what they think about me than having them talk about me behind my back. What are you doing out on the corridor in the middle of the night anyway?"

"I… I'm sorry, Hermione!" Parvati gasped and tried to hide the bottles she was carrying behind her back. "I didn't know you were still awake, I thought you were in our dormitory. I was just going to the bathroom."

"Pretty bad excuse, the bathrooms are in the other direction," Hermione said, a grin creeping across her face. "And besides, what's in those bottles?"

Parvati gave up the attempt to hide the bottles.

"Butterbeer and firewhiskey. We were thinking about having a little party tonight but I guess it will be McGonagall's office instead," she said in a resigned voice.

"Not if you have enough butterbeer for me to join you," Hermione replied mischievously.

"You want to join the party? I thought you would tell Professor McGonagall immediately!" Parvati exclaimed, incredulous.

"Do you really think I didn't notice you sneaking around at night? I wouldn't tell McGonagall just because you want to have a little fun once in a while! Anyway, where is the party? Of course, only if you don't mind me coming," Hermione answered.

"In Ginny's and the other fifth year girls' room. Of course you can join us; I just never thought you were the one for parties and so on. You were always studying, so we never asked you whether you wanted to come as well," Parvati said.

The two of them hurried towards the dormitory of Ginny and the other fifth year girls, where Lavender, Ginny and a couple of other girls were already waiting. They looked surprised, some of them also a bit worried when they saw Hermione enter but they quickly relaxed when Parvati told them Hermione wanted to join their little party.

"Great! I knew you would get bored of your books, Harry and my boring brother some time! Welcome to real life!" Ginny exclaimed.

Hermione grinned and the bottles were opened quickly. Hermione was quickly giggling and chatting along with the others, forgetting about Ron and all of her worries.

She was surprised to see how Ginny was around her friends, she had only known her as Ron's little sister and quickly realised that Ginny had found her own life away from all her brothers and no longer in their shadow as Ron often seemed to be. Hermione soon felt perfectly happy in the group of girls. This was what she had been yearning for since she had realised that she couldn't talk to Ron and Harry about everything.

After a while, the conversation turned towards the topic of boys they liked and Hermione wasn't too surprised when Lavender asked her who she liked.

She told them how she felt attracted to Ernie, which none of the others had expected.

"Ernie? I always thought you liked Harry! Hey Parvati, isn't your sister Padma together with one of Ernie's room-mates? Maybe we could arrange something…" Lavender said, a small grin on her face.

"Oh no, please don't!" Hermione groaned. "That would be so embarrassing! I'd rather try to get to know him better on my own first, if that doesn't work out, maybe we could think about something else."

"Whatever you want but I'm sure we could arrange something. Just tell us if you want us to."

They discussed the different possibilities for a while before turning to other subjects. It wasn't until late in the night that Lavender, Parvati and Hermione returned to their own room.

t.b.c.

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Thanks to isnani and BSManthaLUV for their reviews. 

And as always, I am glad for any reviews you readers send me. Constructive critisism is welcome!


	4. A New Point of View

"_Ernie? I always thought you liked Harry! Hey Parvati, isn't your sister Padma together with one of Ernie's room-mates? Maybe we could arrange something…" Lavender said, a small grin on her face._

"_Oh no, please don't!" Hermione groaned. "That would be so embarrassing! I'd rather try to get to know him better on my own first, if that doesn't work out, maybe we could think about something else."_

"_Whatever you want but I'm sure we could arrange something. Just tell us if you want us to."_

_They discussed the different possibilities for a while before turning to other subjects. It wasn't until late in the night that Lavender, Parvati and Hermione returned to their own room._

**It is Only Sensible**

**Chapter 4- A New Point of View**

The next morning, Hermione was so tired she could hardly get out of bed but she was quite satisfied with the world in general. She sat next to Ron and Harry as usual but felt as if there was a new distance between them. She didn't mind it much though; her head was still filled with the conversation at their little party yesterday.

It had been so nice to have a light conversation with some other girls, not that she didn't feel comfortable with Ron and Harry but especially since Harry had heard about the prophecy (he had told them about it right after the summer holidays), they had mostly been serious and Hermione felt she just needed a change.

Neither of the boys seemed to notice that she was absentminded most of the time; they were only irritated when she nearly fell asleep in History of Magic like all the others.

At lunch, Ginny asked her to sit with the other girls and as Ron and Harry didn't object, Hermione went over to them and was once again soon giggling at their jokes and remarks about Dean's new haircut.

In Ancient Runes, Hermione sat down next to Ernie and though she felt unsure now that others knew that she was attracted to him and was uncomfortably aware of Lavender's looks at the two of them, she managed to talk to him almost normally.

After that day, Hermione spent more and more of her time with the other girls and talking to Ernie in the hallways and spent less time with Ron and Harry. It seemed that while she tried to avoid thinking about Ron at first, she soon just couldn't find enough time for all of her friends anymore and as if to prove to herself that Ron didn't mean much to her, she chose to prefer being with her new friends.

When the next Hogsmeade visit came, Ernie asked her out and she agreed. Ron and Harry had already guessed that she wouldn't be going to Hogsmeade with them so they weren't surprised when she told them she would be going with somebody else and told her to enjoy herself, though Hermione tried not to look at Ron's face as she told them.

Her other friends were really excited when they found out about her date with Ernie and gave her endless advice on what to do and what not to.

Hermione herself felt somewhat reserved about the date with Ernie but reminded herself that she really liked him and that it was only logical to go on a date with someone you liked after a while. It would be fun and she finally wouldn't be alone anymore.

That night, Hermione's sleep was disturbed by confused dreams about Ron but she pushed all thoughts of him aside in the morning. Ron would never love her back and she didn't care for him in a more than friendly way anymore. She only cared for Ernie and she should think about the date she had with him.

Hermione got ready, putting a few spells on her hair to make it less bushy and applying make-up, something she usually never did. Her friends complimented her to her looks and wished her luck with the date.

"I can't understand how calm you are!" Lavender marvelled. "I would be so excited but I guess you never show your excitement."

'I just don't really love him,' a small voice at the back of Hermione's head said but she determinedly pushed it away.

"You're right, I'm just good at hiding how I feel," she agreed before going over to where Ernie had just arrived.

Hermione successfully pushed aside all her doubts during her trip to Hogsmeade and enjoyed her conversation with Ernie in Madam Puddifoots. To her great surprise, the two of them ended up kissing and Ernie confessed that he had liked her for quite a while now. They were a couple when they returned from Hogsmeade.

That evening in the common room, Hermione was surrounded by the other girls asking her how it had been. Smiling and giggling like them, Hermione answered their questions and wondered why they were all so excited; after all, she was the one who had a boyfriend, not they.

Inside, Hermione was wondering how she would let Ron and Harry know, after all they were her friends and she knew it wouldn't be fair to let them find out through the gossip that would probably travel through Hogwarts, there was always gossip about everything. She just hoped that Ron wouldn't act as if she were his little sister as he sometimes tended to; she remembered how he never wanted Ginny to have a boyfriend.

Finally, the other girls backed off and Hermione sat down at a table alone and took out her Transfiguration homework, Ron and Harry hadn't turned up yet. Half an hour later, they came in loaded with sweets from Honeydukes. Hermione cleared some space and they came over and sat down, offering her some chocolate frogs as well. They were still engrossed in a conversation about the newest racing broom but after a while, Harry turned to her and asked her what she had done in Hogsmeade.

Hermione told them that she had gone out with Ernie and that they were a couple now.

"With Ernie? Well, that is a bit of a surprise but he is nice."

Hermione looked at Ron to see how he would react. He looked surprised as well, as Hermione could tell by the hint of red in his face; Ron always went red at any emotion but he smiled at Hermione.

"Yeah, that's great, good luck!"

t.b.c.

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Sorry I took so long to update. Anyway, thanks for your reviews and as always, I am glad to receive new reviews! 


	5. A True Friend Knows You

_Hermione told them that she had gone out with Ernie and that they were a couple now._

"_With Ernie? Well, that is a bit of a surprise but he is nice."_

_Hermione looked at Ron to see how he would react. He looked surprised as well, as Hermione could tell by the hint of red in his face; Ron always went red at any emotion but he smiled at Hermione._

"_Yeah, that's great, good luck!"_

**It is Only Sensible**

**Chapter 5: A True Friend Knows You**

Hermione spent the first few weeks in a kind of haze, spending as much time as possible with Ernie. She had a boyfriend, a group of other girls as her friends and she supposed she should be happy but after the newness of it all wore off, she realised that she wasn't as content as she would have thought she would be.

Ernie was nice and would do anything for her and her friends involved her in all their dormitory parties but she felt that all of this was not really her, was some other person that looked like her and that she was watching from the outside. The more she thought about it, the more she realised she was wearing a mask that nobody except for her noticed.

Hermione kept going to her friends' parties, giggling with them and meeting Ernie in remote corridors for a between-classes-snog but she felt constantly more distant to all of it, though she refused to accept the fact she was unhappy about her whole situation.

Weeks passed, months passed and nothing changed. Then, one day, Harry approached Hermione in a corridor after lunch. Only when he stopped her did she realise that it had been weeks since she had last really talked to him or Ron outside of classes.

"Wait, Hermione, I want to talk to you!"

"Hello Harry! Is something wrong? You look worried. It isn't V-Voldemort, is it?" Hermione still hadn't quite got used to using his name.

"No, he seems to be a bit passive lately, probably gathering more supporters and planning the big attack. It's you I'm worried about."

"Me? There's nothing wrong with me."

Hermione felt guilty. Harry had so many other things to worry about and then he was worrying about her?

"Yes, you. Maybe you can fool all the others and even Ron but you can't fool me. The way you've been lately, it just isn't you. I'm not only talking about you coming late for classes and not doing homework but mainly about the way you act. I mean, you've become just as shallow and giggly as the girls you used to shake your head about."

"You can't tell me who to be friends with! It's up to me who I spend my time with. How should you know what I'm really like? Maybe I am finally the way I want to be!"

"Hermione, I think you're just fooling yourself as well! I know that you can spend your time with whoever you want to but as your friend, I think I have a right to remind you of who you really are and I don't think you are really happy with your life the way it is now."

"Is this your old having-to-save-whoever-is-in-trouble-thing? I think that none of this is really any of your business!"

"That's possible and I'd leave you and your illusions alone if Ron weren't so miserable. You can try to hide from whatever you feel but you shouldn't go pulling others into it."

"Ron? He seems perfectly fine to me."

"That's quite easy for you to say, you've hardly looked at him in weeks while I see him suffer silently every day though he tries not to show it. You know him, he is too embarrassed to say how he feels but I thought that you would at least realise your feelings towards each other and figure out a way to talk about it so I didn't say anything because I thought you would be able to solve it on your own. Instead, you get scared and run away and deny all your feelings. Honestly, I thought you were more sensible than that."

"Wh…what?"

"Obviously both of you are blind. Ron's in love with you and there's no use in telling me that you don't feel the same way. You taught me enough about the emotions people have to see that."

"But… but Ron smiled and wished me luck when I told you I'm together with Ernie! He wouldn't have done that if he liked me in that way! It's impossible!"

"Didn't you see how red he went because he was trying not to show his disappointment? He was nearly bursting with jealousy but he hid it because he wanted you to be happy."

"I… thought that was just the surprise. I thought he only liked me as a friend and now… I…I'm together with Ernie." Hermione's voice was nearly a whisper.

"I'm aware of that though I never understood why."

"Ron never showed me how he felt and I couldn't stand it any more: being together with him all day and never being able to show how I feel without risking our friendship to become so complicated. So I decided that I should try and forget my feelings for him. Then Ernie noticed me and I walked in on a party of those other girls and joined them, just to be as normal as possible. I thought that would make it easier to forget my feelings for Ron."

"Well, you really managed in making your friendship complicated. You should talk to Ron."

"But I'm together with Ernie. I can't just tell him I was in love with Ron all along!"

"Can you just go on lying to him by saying you love him? You have to decide, Hermione. I don't think the decision is going to be easier if you delay it."

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Hermione had made her decision the next morning. Ernie came up to her on the way to classes and wanted to pull her into a tender embrace but she pulled away.

"Sorry Ernie but we have to talk. We can't continue this way."

"Oh. What happened? Did I do something wrong?"

Hermione shook her head and felt miserable for doing this to him. He had always been friendly and caring towards her and now she had to tell him she loved someone else.

"I'm terribly sorry about this, Ernie, but I just feel like the life I'm living right now is only a lie. This just isn't who I really am. I know it wasn't fair but almost everything I did in the last few months was a try to be someone else because I couldn't stand things the way they were. Yesterday, I realized that I can't just run away from who I am. I feel so terrible for having hurt you while finding out. I hope you can forgive me."

Ernie nodded sadly.

"I think I can understand but I'm sorry that everything that happened between us didn't mean much to you. "

"It did, it really did! It's just that I realized that I was trying to escape and I can't go on like this. Our relationship was important for me as well, it really was. "

"It's OK, it wasn't meant as a reproach. You know, somehow I didn't think it would last, it just felt too surreal, you sometimes seem to be somewhere totally else in your thoughts. "

Hermione embraced him.

"Thanks Ernie. I know it isn't easy for you. "

They let go of each other and Ernie smiled sadly.

"I don't want you to be torn inside. It's Ron, isn't it? "

He smiled at Hermione's blush.

"I thought so before that Hogsmeade trip but always pushed the thought away. I guess I shouldn't have. So are the two of you together now? "

Hermione shook her head.

"No, I wanted to talk to you first; I would have felt even worse otherwise. I still don't know what Ron will say, I only hope what Harry told me is true. "

"Well, I think you should try it. Good luck! "

* * *

Once again, I have to apologize for not updating so long! I always want to but other things (like great other stories I read on FFN) always distract me and I end up not posting the next chapter. Anyways, there's only one more to go! 

I want to thank Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers, O.W.L.S and isnani for their reviews. Keep reviewing and all the others who like this should as well!

Oh, and just another thing that I just feel like saying: the title of this chapter comes from a card a friend gave me. I really kind of liked it so well... it ended up as the title. Oh, she would be so shocked to know... So I apologize to her, not that she's likely to ever find out.

Okay, sorry for my rambling, I just was in the mood!


	6. Changes for the Best

_Hermione shook her head._

"_No, I wanted to talk to you first; I would have felt even worse otherwise. I still don't know what Ron will say, I only hope what Harry told me is true. "_

"_Well, I think you should try it. Good luck! "_

**It is Only Sensible**

**Chapter 6: Changes for the Best**

Hermione came up to Ron after lunch, no longer able to stand the uncertainty. As Hermione approached Ron, she tried to figure out his expression which seemed to switch between the joy of seeing her and the wish rather not to see her. Once again, she realized how little she could guess what Ron felt.

"Hi Hermione, what's up? " Ron asked nonchalantly.

All the words Hermione had wanted to say were wiped away by the coldness of his voice.

"Well… I just wanted to… oh, never mind! "

"Just say what you wanted to say! Or is it your idea of fun to ignore me for weeks and then come over only to walk off again leaving me standing here like an idiot? I'm sorry, Hermione, but I'm sick of it. If that's all I mean to you, just leave me alone."

Hermione felt her temper rise. Why had she broken up with Ernie if all Ron would do was to insult her without even listening to her?

She opened her mouth to retort when she noticed Harry on the other side of the Entrance Hall watching them and everything he had said came back to her.

Hermione groaned inwardly. Why did she and Ron always have to start fighting whenever they wanted to say something important?

"Look Ron, I'm sorry for the way I've acted during the last few weeks and I came here to apologize and explain it. I know it sounds ridiculous but I did all those stupid things…well… because I'm in love with you."

"I told you to leave me alone! It is bad enough as it is, without you making fun of me. You don't love me, you're going out with Ernie. So why can't you just leave me be!"

"Ron, I am not making fun of you. I know the whole thing sounds strange but I thought you would never feel the same way so I tried to forget my feelings for you by finding other friends and well, by going out with Ernie. I didn't realize until yesterday that everything I was doing was a lie, that I still love you. I thought it would ruin our friendship if you found out how I felt about you but I guess everything I did to prevent that from happening just destroyed our friendship more than anything else could have. I'm so sorry; Ron."

"You're not joking?" Ron asked.

Hermione shook her head.

"And what about Ernie?" Ron inquired carefully.

"After realizing that I couldn't go on like this, I broke up with him this morning. It wouldn't have been right to keep pretending I like him like that even if there is no chance you like me back."

"Hermione… I do. I have since… I don't know when, I think some time in fourth year. I just never dared to say anything: as you like to remind me, I'm a catastrophe concerning emotions."

"Well, I guess if you look at this whole story, I am too," Hermione laughed and Ron joined in.

Their laughter slowly faded as the distance between them closed and they kissed.

----------------------------

"So what's going on with you and Ron?" Lavender asked that evening during another of their dormitory parties. "I can't believe what I saw during dinner tonight."

"You can trust your eyes. It is what it looks like; we are a couple now," Hermione answered with a small smile.

"But what about Ernie? You were such a cute couple!" Parvati exclaimed. "And then Ron! I mean, there's nothing wrong with him but he is so awkward! I ought to know, Padma was at that Yule Ball with him, she told me what it was like. He didn't dance; he never even said anything. He really is a bit strange and the two of you keep arguing. I can't understand why you left Ernie for him. Just look at the difference between them! Ernie is handsome, charming and I think he would give you anything you want. I really can't understand why you did that."

"I guess I just don't want somebody who gives me anything I want; I prefer keeping some of my independence. I don't know, I think I just need somebody I can disagree with sometimes; I think I would be bored otherwise. I don't care if you think he seems a bit 'awkward', at least I feel like I am myself when I'm with him. That's something I never did with Ernie; it felt like I was trying to be someone else. I didn't want to keep up that lie any longer so that's why I broke up with him."

"Philosophical words from our thinker," Parvati giggled. "Well, if that's what you want… I won't stop you."

"I think you looked happier and more comfortable with Ron than you ever did with Ernie, Hermione," Ginny put in. "I think I know best what an annoying prat Ron can be but I can really imagine the two of you together and if you can be who you really are around him, that makes it perfect. Only one more thing," Ginny added with a twinkle in her eyes.

"And that is?" Hermione asked.

"When the two of you marry, I get to be the bridesmaid!"

"Of course you do," Hermione answered and joined the laughter, understanding that she wouldn't have to pretend to be somebody else around this new group of friends either.

* * *

Well, that's it. My first chaptered story is posted, so tell me what you think. 

Oh, and by the way, thanks to Natural-181 for the review on chapter 5, as you can see, I did finish the story.Also thanks once again to all the others who reviewed the other chapters.

Just some background blah-blah, I began this story while I was trying to get over somebody and the story kind of changed when I noticed I wouldn't manage. Not that anybody really wanted to know this bit of information, I just felt like writing it.


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